Peters



(ModeL) J. ADAIR.

TOOTH PICK.

No. 412,225. Patented Oct. 8, 1889.

' fly! UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

JAMES ADAIR, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y.

TOOTH-PICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,225, dated October8, 1889.

7 Application filed April1f1889. Serial No. 305,559. (ModeL) T0 wZZ whomit may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES ADAIR, a citizen of the United States, andaresident of New York, in the county and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tooth-Picks, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of articles designated astooth-picks, and has for its object the provision of a device simple inconstruction, cheap in manufacture, and efficient in practical use.

To attain the desired end, my invention consists in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 3 are end, and Figs. 2 and a side, views,on an enlarged scale, of two forms of construction of my tooth-pick.Figs. 5, 6, and 7 represent end views of my tooth-pick made in diiterentmanners; and Figs. 8 and 9 are views of the same in combination with aninclosing-case.

Like letters of reference wherever they occur indicate correspondingparts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents my tooth-pick proper, which mayconsist of a thin narrow strip of quill or any equivalent material thatpossesses the density, toughness, and flexibility suitable for thepurpose for which it is to be used.

I provide my strip A with a protective covering B, constructed,preferably, out of wood, although any other suitable n1aterialasvulcanized fiber, papier-machmay be substituted therefor. The protectivecovering B may be of round, oval, oblong, or other approved form, and itmay be applied to the strip A in any manner that is preferred-as bybeing made in two parts having the strip placed between, as in Figs. 1and 2, or by being provided with a side groove in which the tooth-pickproper is inserted, as in Figs. 3 and 4:; or by being wound or formedaround the strip, as in Fig. 6, and in Fig. 8,where the protectivecovering B may be constructed of metal, &c.

The tooth-pick A B, I insert in an inclosing-case C, in and out of whichthe toothpick A B may be drawn, by proper manipulation, in the mannerwell-known in the artas by the pin 0 and groove 0, as is clearly shownin Fig. 9; or the toothpick A B may, if preferred, remain stationary inthe inclosing-case O, in cases where itis constructed of a material thatmay be readily cut, as represented in Fig. 8.

In practical use the tooth-pick may be sharpened similar toalead-pencil, and the instrument will then be found to be veryserviceable and convenient, and free from the annoyances incident to theuse of those of ordinary construction, as well as free from any dangerof injuring the teeth, which is now constantly occurring with thosehitherto made.

As it is evident that many slight changes in the construction andarrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing from thespirit and scope of myinvention, I would have it understood that I donot restrict myself to the particular construction and ar ran gement ofparts shown and described, but that I reserve the right to make suchchanges.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Lettors Patent, is

1. A tooth-pick consisting of a flexible in nor strip A, rigidlysustained and protected by a covering B, the strip A and covering Bbeing made of material that maybe pared or whittled, whereby the end ofthe pick A B may be sharpened in any desired manner, as and for the usesand purpose set forth.

2. A tooth-pick consisting of a flexible inner strip A, rigidlysustained and protected by a covering B,in combination with an inclosingcase O, the strip A and covering B being made of material that may bepared or whittled, and adapted and arranged to be withdrawn at will fromthe case G, as and for the uses and purpose set forth.

In testimony of the foregoing specification I do hereby sign the same,in the city, county, and State of New York, this 27th day of March, A.I). 1889.

JAMES ADAIR.

Witnesses:

' J. O. FOWLER, Jr, HENRY BISCHOFF.

